President Edgar Lungu has directed Secretary to the Cabinet Rolland Msiska to issue a statement on the eviction of former First Lady Dr Christine Kaseba from a Lodge where she was staying after leaving State House.
President Lungu who refused to comment further on the matter said he expects Dr Msiska to issue a very comprehensive statement on the issue immediately.
President Lungu was speaking shortly before departure to Mozambique where he has travelled to attend that country’s Independence Day celebrations.
‘By the way, I have directed the Secretary to the Cabinet to immediately issue a very comprehensive statement on the big story carried by the Post Newspaper today. Beyond this, I cannot comment further,’ President Lungu said.
On Tuesday, Mazabuka Central MP Gary Nkombo revealed in Parliament that the PF Government had stopped paying accommodation bills for Dr Kaseba forcing the owners of the Lodge, 8 Reedbuk in Kabulonga to evict her.
Mr Nkombo further disclosed that the Dr Kaseba has now been forced to move in with her biological mother in Lusaka’s Libala Township.
And President Lungu has announced that he will kick off his presidential campaigns upon arrival from Mozambique.
He said he will spend two days in Mozambique and will fly to Mfuwe where he will kick start his presidential campaigns.
President Lungu has also stated that Zambia needs to support its neighbours in good and bad times.
He said he is travelling to Mozambique because it is a big for that country hence the need for Zambia to join in the celebrations.
And Government has regretted the eviction of former First Lady, Christine Kaseba Sata, from the lodge she and her family were occupying in Kabulonga when they left statehouse.
Chief Government spokesperson, Chishimba Kambwili, said it was not government’s intention to see Mrs Sata evicted by the proprietors of the lodge which was being rented by government for the Sata family.
Mr. Kambwili who is also Information and Broadcasting Minister apologized to the First Lady and the Sata family for the inconvenience that has been caused to her.
‘’ As government, it was not intentional to embarrass the former first lady. It is the responsibility of government to find a house for the first lady of the late President,’’ Mr. Kambwili said.
He added that it was not fair to treat senior citizens in the manner the owner of the lodge allegedly directly went to the former first lady and told her to vacate the residence.
Mr. Kambwili hoped that the proprietors did not do that to embarrass government, adding that, the Sata family held a very special place to the Patriotic Front-PF party because former President Michael Sata was the founder of the organisation.
He said there was no way government would neglect payment of rentals resulting into the eviction of the former first lady from the lodge.
“To the Sata family we say sorry and government will make sure that it quickly looks for another house,” Mr. Kambwili said.
Presidential campaign already! Ba lungu sometimes playing flat ball on the ground is better than high balls. By the way we don’t need general elections during the rainy season
Okay fair statement from Lungu to he will wait for a statement for secretary to cabinet, but for kambwili it is the fault of the lodge owner. He is almost short of saying that the the owner of the lodge is UPND who is trying to embarrass the government…Kikikikikiki
So you want him to accommodate Kaseba for free because she is Sata’s widow???
Ba Kambwili, there are millions of your citizens living in places not fit for human habitation in Zambia and you must apologize to one single individual who has saved tax payers some money by visiting her mother. She is not really stranded as she has scores of places she could move into. You guys are jokers.
Kambwili h a as aleady issed a statement which is tatamount to confirmation of failure by GRZ to put it’s house in order. Surely, GRZ must have had received numerous reminders to pay but as usual, all monies had to be reserved in my own opinion for ECL. What an embarrassment to the Zoo.
@1.2
if you continue reasoning like a toilet pan, you will never achieve anything in life. why compare kaseba to your lazy toothles useles father. who told him not to work hard in life. kaseba’s husband did, just tel your pathetic father to do like wise. thats ehy even you the son cant reason properly cause of envy.
The big question is WHY WAS SHE ACCOMMODATED AT SUCH AN EXPENSIVE LODGE in the first place? This misuse of public resources must be stopped. It happened under Kaunda, Chiluba and Mwanawasa. Mrs. Sata shouldn’t have accepted to be lodged at that place if she has the interest of Zambia at heart. Prof. Chirwa lost his job over a similar issue. That house she has moved into now was just a small slice of the lobola given to her family years back by Sata. Sata’s empire is no secret, At one point he was in charge of all council houses in Zambia. The rest of the story is obvious. There is need to investigate the people who arranged that accommodation. Chances are they are beneficiaries of the deal not excluding the lady herself. WAKE UP BANE!
Whats wrong with Zambian politicians. When they get in to State house they think they own the Country? Sata Family have their own houses?? why should the first lady go to a lodge in the first place?? Damn shows dullness in PF. I would live in my own house and ask government to pay rent??
Haaa useless thinking from Sata family. Guess state house has charms that make people stupid…
@Misango ya ba Chairman……..
I agree with you 2000%.
So many hardworking tax paying Zambians have retired into destitution. Some have been shot for occupying land “illegally” as if our Ministry of Lands would ever give them land. That Ministry cannot give land to so-called “ordinary” people. So-called “ordinary” persons who include long serving civil servants can only BUY expensive plots from third parties, mainly ruling party cadres, ONLY to be tossed about when it comes to documentation. So sick I sometimes feel like a cheap refugee. Now, here is the First Lady, whose late husband’s account is credited with 80% of the incumbent’s salary monthly and swamped by govt paid house-helpers and cars, “moving in with her mother in Chilenje”. WHAT!!!!
This is preposterous. Dr Kaseba and her husband already got their pensionthrough the millions of dollars in tax payers money they spent moving a cancer patient from one international hospital to the next. When the husband was feeling good enough (after a few doses of morphine and some Valium) he came out insulted a few people and went back into hibernation. He never did anything for the country.
Her moving to Libala shows how pathetic, heartless and conniving she is. I now understand why she dragged her husband on his death bed to NY just to go shopping and receive an award. This woman has more homes than a Saudi prince but she wants more free staff at the expense of poor people! If she can kill her husband, she is capable of anything.
Sata’s voice about neglecting orphans is featured in Pilatos song. Before the dust raised in the song settles, Vodka in his drunken stupor evicts Kaseba. This must be really haunting for Jamasoni!
Why was she living in a lodge in the first place? What about the house in Rhodes park the Sata family occupied before moving ku State House? Indeed some of you will remember that when Sata became president he delayed moving into State House. This entitlement culture needs to stop. Just because some is a former first lady does not entitle them to chew tax payers money. She is a doctor she should have saved enough money to buy her own ka Plot and build a house. And what about the millions left behind and the houses too? Too much extravagance by people who think they are too important. Being a former first lady should not entitle one to such benefits. Its not a public office. GRZ should wise up and stop wasting money.
there comes another lumpen with a slow punctured brain, why ask obvious question.no wonder you are lusaka play boy, stop playing and understand how things work
Indeed obvious questions that people like you choose to ignore..you would rather spend thousands of dollars accommodating a very educated woman who can fend for her self at the expense of millions of Zambians living in conditions that are not fit for purpose. You need to ask questions for things to change…that’s why Zambians are too docile not asking why.
When you put your house on rent for whatever reason you cannot go back without giving a notice that you want to occupy it today. Tenant s are protected by law.
@Akashambatwa……
You are one of those who believe is misusing public resources at the expense of development??? Yes, you are, thief.
Zambians will continue to ask questions. I am very sure knowing President Lungu’s background and character would be ashamed of you. HH would probably pick up a fight with you given a chance. Not with blows, but he would definitely strongly disagree with you. EZ Nawakwi would call you names….. Only your fellow crooks would laugh and encourage you to continue with your useless commentary…
When he was asked about UNZA he said that’s the Education Ministers job, every time he is asked a question he parries the question to someone else, what kind of leadership is that? I know you have to delegate, but every time you have no answer what type of a leader is that?
He appointed ministers to work for you. He is holding them accountable – and it’s called leadership!
Well said @Observer. In the new Namibian government ministers have been made to write their visions and performance contracts. That way you know you don’t wait to be fired; you check what you promised against what you achieved.
I wonder why the so called intelligent People are ones always complaining. Its they so called. Intellectual capacity is to complain.
Talking about accommodation, the Zambia State Insurance flats by the ZESCO fly over have quickly become hideouts for indians who are illegally in the country. The indians are instructed to keep a low profile and not to go on the balconies facing the Zesco flyover! And like all areas occupied by indians, blacks are forbidden from moving into the area! There will never be an indigenous middle class so long as the government continues to outsource the middle and upper classes to indians, lebanese, greeks and somalis!
This has become come in Eastern Province where we have a huge population of Indians.
I have said it before on this platform that our immigration staff are all corrupt- Starting from the highest office. We see new/strange faces of mwenyes every day. I challenge the immigration department to crry out un announced door to door inspections in Kanjala and moth areas of Chipata. This is too much.
Meanwhile, these same mwenyes are ill treating our people. They keep them in homes without toilets. They ask their workers to sheet inplastic bags and throw away the following morning. Surely we cannot continue to allow these suckers to ill treat our people. I miss Late Benard Siwakwi who once invited the OP, the cops and army to go and see for themselves how our poor voiceless people are…
Sue someone. I would quickly disrupt any form of eco-system that promotes only one group of people to settle. Let not me become president, because all heads will roll.
Lungu running away from responsibility. It means he has nno clue what is happening in the country.PF is a sham. Another Chimbwi No Plan ala twachula mwebantu
Wat will SC say since CK has already issued a statement on the way forward. Kikikiki
Mrs Sata and the PF Govt together with Gary Nkombo are people who should not be allowed to lead Zambia.Mrs Sata is not broke why be a parasite on tax payers who are struggling with a huge yoke of debt she accumulated PF (Michael Sata)
These are not real leaders education has not taught these people anything,That is why people with Phd’s in Zambia mean nothing to the building of their country.
Mr Michael Sata left a huge Estate there was no need for this woman to be homeless.Wake up Zambians and demand for accountability you do not need women like Mrs.Sata to be in leadership.This is failed leadership
nanga real estate inasiya ba Sata, niya nyoko? i now understand why we shall never develop, too many small minded pipo pa zed.
Well stated. Zambia needs a new breed of politician. A very wise and astute one. Visionaries and not leeches.
The president said secretary to the Cabinet will make a comprehensive statement so why is the nincompoop Kambwili speaking? Some people never cease to amaze. If I were president, I would never have people like Kambwili in my cabinet. Kambwili is the one who was the first to apologize to Mpezeni when there was no need to. Whats wrong with this guy? He always puts his noise where it is not needed.
Kamdothi – I think he thinks that it is statesmanship to say “sorry” to anything even before you know the facts — he thinks he is positioning himself for the top position. Actually, I did not know that he is so dull.
Looking after first lady_fail, exchange rate_fail, football_fail, price of Mealie meal_fail, over taxing citizens_pass with merit, medicines in hospital_fail, borrowing _pass, corruption_pass
Mrs SATA as a citizen has every rite to provisions of the law, being taken care of by GRZ is her rite by her status. am so amazed by comments mouthed by pipo from a province that has never formed a political party in the history of this nation yapping imbeba dung.
Firstly, who in the PF government was responsible for paying her rent? hahahahahaha. Then Why is the President not that aggressively fighting to kick start the economy. Had they put this much effort in the economy, Zambia would be flying high.
what are the entitlements of the first lady in Zambia when the husband is no more
If it is true that Sata had over 30 houses, its only prudent that she utilizes one of them.
He hasn’t even worked ati presidential campaign. PF cadres are saying 6 months isn’t enough but uyo ati campaign, based on what??? 6 months of scandals, corruption allegations and intent to put the country under severe debt?
Kwena mwe! He hasn’t worked and he wants to continue as our President!What kind of thinking is this?
Here we go again – poor Zambians footing the expensive bill for a RICH Zambian = Corruption. Someone said she should be taken care of because of her STATUS. Oh my God. STATUS is not a job. It is similar to being a relative or chibululu. People misuse these regularly to claim benefits of the deceased. You all now know why Zambians are still poor – they are footing the bills of the rich by government design. Dr Kaseba should have gone back to the house she came from. Being a widow of the president is not a money making business.
There he is, dazed and confused as usual. The man himself, His excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu. Standing on the podium and discussing evictions of fat ladies. That’s his preoccupation these days. Never mind that he has a crumbling economy that needs immediate attention..
Something or someone must be behind this predicament..It’s the either appropriator has done this on tribal line [ him/her belongin to som tribes that hate PF] or a member of an opposition party’s intervention..There’s no way the appropriator can have a nerve to embarrass our distinguished former first lady like that..Remember, some named opposition parties hav been wooing her [Dr. Kaseba Sata] to join their party,so this might be a path they may take to concur her to join them..I mean they would like to show it to her that, the PF govnmnt has abandoned her/or somthn like that
Poverty never helps in developing minds for upright thinking! How can a poor state grappling to meet social obligations for its citizens be not thinking prudently? Its not ling ago when we saw pictures of classrooms akin pig sties, over crowded, pupils learning outdoors under trees the list goes on and people still stand up to supporting wastage of resources for an individual? A clear case of enjoying what a poor country can do for an already privileged person and having not a heart of what you can do for the country! While the government has to offer relief and comfort for its post service officers it should not be at the extent of wiping away the available little!
Sorry for typo, its ‘long’ and not ‘ling.’
No need for apologies ba FuManchu my friend. You are among fellow Zambians here. We were forced to adopt this foreign language. The very least we can do to show justice is to butcher it mercilessly. But even more importantly to butcher it unapologetically.
ha!
RB is kamwendo munjila,and ECL is doing the same.anyway its the legal way of enriching himself through allowances.when the presido is not in the country it cost zambia not less than $100,000.per day.(k720,000).zambia is a rich country its just greedy and selfishness of our leaders.and next week it will be borrowing more money for ati presidential campaigns,something is fishy here.
Why does Kambwili sound so unbelievable?
How could a lodge owner evict someone if the place has been paid for?
Why is the PL govt reacting only after Gary Nkombo has let the cat out of the bag?
Don’t PF members especially senior ones like Lungu Kambwili, Mrs Sata keep tab of each other-if they have party interests at heart? Why would an opposition member be the first to know of the plight of a senior PF member?
Why hasn’t Lungu just directed his party to act instead of passing the buck to the cabinet secretary? Etc etc etc
@fresh, you wrote: “Why would an opposition member be the first to know of the plight of a senior PF member?” Maybe Gary Nkombo reads the ZWD. It was the ZWD that first reported the story.
I feel that I money the lodge received from government was too much am moreover dr Kasebanya is educated and can find a job.
GRZ is doing a great harm by giving housing benefits.Too much of a good thing can be poisonous.
It makes the likes of Dr Kaseba and Zambians a bit dull by not learning to plan,work harder and be resourceful about investing in own housing.
Dr Kaseba needs to be respected.Its a curse to ill treat widows.This lady played an important role in PF politics and EL is president tpday because of her and ill treating her makes the late president turn in his grave because thta his beloved wife.
Just tell Chikwanda to borrow another Eurobond to pay for Kasebas accommodation!
PF plan!
Government should be careful the way they treat this eviction issue of Sata family. Sata formed PF and he was in opposition for 10 years and later formed government. My observation is that if Dr Kaseba stood as PF president, she will easily win. It is the truth that people are watching events as they unfold. Not long ago Dorah Siliya was insulting Mr Sata and it is very disgusting that she has the audacity to stand on the PF ticket in Petauke. HEMCS must turning in his grave at this development. MHSREP
Zambia is a one week complaint country. So worry not madam, after one week this ‘noise’ Will die down permanently. You did not put yourself in Reedbuck, even if you had a hundred houses, those are yours, Government has a duty to look after you as enshrined in your husbands conditions of service meaning they have to accommodate you. Don’t be cheated that you should move into one of your many houses.